Search Afropunk.com

PREMIERE: Queer black creatives inspire radical self-love in this Portland-based short film

August 7, 2018

An up-close and personal portrait of Portland-based musician Chanti Darling, ST*RS paints a sharp and captivating landscape of “being in love with yourself enough to continue to chase your higher purpose,” told from the perspectives of queer POC. Beautifully directed by Adam Garcia with Director of Photography Charlie Balch, ST*RS is sincerely hopeful, but not naively so, about the high, high stakes that come with putting yourself out there for whatever you’re called towards. Be the in relationships with others or yourself. “I’m a firm believer that it’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all and I think you can apply that to any type of relationship that you want to, no matter if it’s a personal human relationship or if it’s how you relate to what you perceive as your higher purpose.”

“One of the first things people ever said to me when I landed in Portland, both black and white is that it isn’t a city for black people,” says Chanti Darling. “I’ve made it my mission here to push against that. In staying true to myself I’ve been able to push forward not only myself but the entire music scene here. I’ve always saw this experience as an opportunity rather than a hurdle. In doing so I’ve been able to create in a very major way in a city that historically has not respected the presence and efforts of black creatives.”

Photo by Lucky BK main

“In a town that has as much problematic history when it comes to poc and queers as any other, I find it very important to continue to carve these paths.” — Chanti Darling